The New York Times is tracking the human toll of the conflict in this feature. The primary source is the online video that has allowed a widening war to be documented like no other, and posts try to put the video into context.
Edited by Liam Stack

Dozens of women and children cowered in a dark shelter in the Homs suburb of Kafraya as government shells hit the area. In this video, they complain of little food and water and send a panicked plea for help to the outside world.

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Civilians Plead for Help as Government Shells Fall

Dozens of women and children hid in a dark shelter from government shelling in the town of Kafraya. This video is filled with panicked voices describing increasingly dire conditions in their hiding place. "There is no bread, no food, nothing to drink," one person said. "The children are dying of cold!" A man's voice yelled, "Where are the human rights organizations?" Nearby, a woman made a far more basic plea: "Where are the Arabs and Muslims? Where is the outside world? Where is God?"

This video in context

What We Know

The town of Kafraya has come under government shelling in recent days, according to activists. In the video, one woman says government attacks killed 30 people from the town. Kafraya is very close to the Homs neighborhood of Baba Amr, which was devastated by a government siege last spring.

What We Don't Know

We do not know how long these women and children have been hiding in their shelter. We also do not know the extent of casualties and physical damage suffered by Kafraya in recent days.